Mt. Express: Trustees to discuss new math books

There is an article in today’s Mt. Express regarding the November 8th Board of Trustees meeting. Following is a copy of my online comments to that article:

How is it possible that BCSD violated its’ own policy, but not the Idaho Legal Code which informs that policy? Idaho Code 33-512A states, “Such a [curricular materials adoption] committee shall contain a membership at least one-fourth (1/4) of which is persons who are not public educators or school trustees.” I’d really like to read the argument that exonerates the School District of violating this Code, but at the same time admits that the administrators violated District Policy when they overlooked including community members, parents and students on the recent math textbook selection. Having excluded us parents from the textbook selection process, a group of us have been on the receiving end of anger and condescension because we have dared to scrutinize administrators’ actions. We parents are the primary administrators of our children’s education. School administrators, teachers and staff are accountable to us.

As to public review of the materials, Patty McLean – Director of Curriculum, stated there were three (3) days of public review. I know of only one parent, Kathy Baker, who stumbled upon one of these poorly advertised meetings. Three days isn’t much of a public review. Three days is not time to create an informed opinion on whether to purchase two textbook series. At the beginning of the school year, District administrators made no attempt to inform parents of the radically different and incomplete nature of these textbooks, which have created controversy across the nation. Why all the secrecy? Did District administrators think we parents just wouldn’t notice?

Parents, it’s time to wake up and scrutinize the BCSD administration. Come to BlaineParents.org, which Kathy Baker and I created, for more information and links to perform your own research.